


There For Each-Other

by OTTSTF



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I don't know what this became
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-04 20:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16353716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OTTSTF/pseuds/OTTSTF
Summary: “You were there for me; you saved us all, and outside of the weird stuff… you listened, and you just understood.”More hopeless fluff that's a bit all over the place because, well, hopeless is my middle name.





	There For Each-Other

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously I don't know what this is. Things take me too long to write and they quickly go all over the place and I don't know anymore.
> 
> BUT I DON'T CARE, I NEED TO PUBLISH STUFF. I'VE BEEN DEAD FOR TOO LONG.

The first thing she sees, following the gate’s closure, is her hand.   
The second thing she notices, is someone else’s hands grasping hers firmly.  
The third has her forgetting her pounding headache immediately, replacing the pained frown she once wore with an ever-growing smile.

The third, is Mike.  
Facing her, laying against a pillow in a sleep that visibly isn’t as peaceful as it should be.

But, she realises, that means Hopper brought her back to him, and Mike wanted to stay by her side. She can’t help but let her smile grow as she realises this.

Reaching out a gentle hand, she allows herself to do what she’s tried many times:  
Guiding his hear away from his face, she lets her hand rest on his cheek, taking in the sensation of finally being able to do so without him vanishing into a cloud of smoke.

His eyebrows flutter, scrunching slightly before his eyes pop open.  
Like a force of nature, their eyes lock together, but that doesn’t stop her from noticing the smile on his face grow as he comes around.

“You stayed for me.” she comments, sounding as if she can’t quite believe it.

“Wh-” he looks shocked. “Of course I did! I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”

She smiles gladly. “I’m never leaving your side again.”  
Mike’s smile returns.  
“Whether Hopper likes it or not.”

“Oh, Hopper wanted to tell you something.” Mike informs her.

“What is it?” she asks, only now retracting her hand from Mike’s cheek.

“He said-”

“He said that he won’t keep you two from talking any more.” Hopper interrupts for Mike from the doorway.  
“Mike hasn’t left your side since we got back, kid. He cares about you, a lot. I can finally respect that, now.”

El casts a look back down to him, wearing a grateful smile as he grows a shy one.  
“Can we keep seeing each-other now?”

At that, Hopper hesitates a moment, before sighing and walking over to them both. He drops down to their height, as Mike rotates towards him, with a hopeful expression on his face. El can’t help but miss the warmth of his hands holding her own.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t.” the man admits.  
“I know you hate when I say this, El, but I’m going to see what I can do.”

The girl in question sighs in regret, assuming the worst.  
“I’m hoping, _really hoping_ now that doctor Owens knows about you, that he could help us, or at least assure us that there’s nobody out there to get you.”

“Do you think he will?” Mike asks, with a glimmer of hope in his eye.

“Is he okay?” El follows after Mike.

“He’s doing okay, I helped him out after bringing you home.” he answers El’s question first.  
“I… like I said, I’m _hoping._ After everything we’ve been through; now he knows what they’d caused and how much work El’s put in to saving the world _again…_ ”

“I think he will.” Mike breaks the fallen silence. “He didn’t seem bad at all while we were there. I think he’s on our side.”

Hopper nods his head. “Me too, Mike. God, I hope so.”

“So… I have to stay home still…” El slowly comment, knowing it to be fact.

Hopper sighs once again, knowing how much El will hate the fact.  
“I’m sorry, kid. But it’s to keep you safe. You know that.”

“I know.” she sighs back.

“Can I at least visit?” Mike asks, his eyes practically begging.

Hopper debates this for a moment, biting his lip as he considers the possibility, along with the potential risks.

“With some ground rules, ones to keep _you_ as well as El safe… yes. You can.”

The gasp that escapes both of their lungs in sync is enough to nearly knock the man backwards – that, or El’s excitement caused a bit of a telekinetic nudge. They both spring up, practically bursting with joy at the idea, before the quick movement suddenly causes El’s forgotten headache to reintroduce itself, prompting her to wince and hold her head in pain.

“Go back to sleep. We’ll talk about it when you’re both fully recovered.” Hopper tells them.

Nodding, El slowly lays back down; Mike following her eventually.

“This time won’t be as horrible, El. I promise.” Hopper _knows_ he will keep this promise – for the better of all three of them.  
“You two will be able to keep in touch, and I’ll work something out to allow visitors. You’ve just gotta give me some time. Okay?”

El nods her head, wearing a smile despite the fact she’ll be going back into hiding. Nonetheless – anything is better than the total isolation she’d been stuck in over this year.

“We’ll talk more tomorrow. For now, we all need as much sleep as we can get.”  
With that, Hopper backs up into the doorway. Intending to turn and return to his sleep, he’s stalled briefly by Mike.

“Thanks, sir.” he calls to the man.  
“For… well. Everything.”

“Everything?” Hopper’s right eyebrow raises in surprise.

“Keeping El safe. Bringing her back. Letting me stay with her. Everything.” Mike lists.

Hopper nods in understanding.  
“Thank _you_ for being there for her. Now and in the future.”

To say he’s stunned at that, specifically the mentioning the future, is an understatement.   
El yanks him from his thoughts as she speaks for the last time tonight.  
“Thank you, Mike.”

Mike flips back around so that he’s facing her again. Before he can ask, she clarifies what she means.  
“For always being there for me. Our first week, and now.”

“I should be thanking you.” Mike says.  
“You were there for me too; you saved us all, and outside of the weird stuff… you listened, and you just understood.”

Smiles all around, El nods her head once more.  
“We can be there for each-other every day now.” she tells him, happily.

“Yeah.” Mike agrees. “Every day.”

A silence lingers around them for a moment. Not awkward or uncomfortable; it never is with these two. But El sees it as an opportunity. Wanting to finally remind herself of the sensation she’d felt in the school hall before everything went horribly wrong, she nudges forward.

Mike’s heart practically leaps out of his chest as their lips connect. But just as he’d come back to his senses, she pulls away, with the cutest shy smile he’s ever seen her wear.  
The briefness of it wasn’t enough for Mike, so he chases her, kissing her one last time before they return to their much needed sleep.

As if they’d never moved, Mike takes one of her hands again, clasping it in both of his between the two of them.

“Good night, Mike.” she finally says, closing her eyes.

“Good night, El.” he follows, letting his eyes linger on her for a moment more before closing them.

**Author's Note:**

> What is it with post-gate pre-snowball that catches me so much?  
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
